Control apparatus



Oct 9, 9 3- A. w. FISHER 2,332,213

CONTROL APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 51, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IZVVEATOR 1715A 7702mm.

Patented Oct. 19, 1943 2,332,213 1 I I I CONTROL APPARATUS I Arthur w. Fisher, Forest Hills, Paaassignorto The Union. Switch & Signal Company, Swiss- A vale, Pal, a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application January 31, 1940, Serial No. 316,609, now'Patent No. 2,279,117, dated April 7, 1942. Divided and this application Novem-' be! 29, 1941, Serial No. 420,959 I 4 Claims. (cl. 245-161.)

My invention relates in general to control apparatus, and in particularto control apparatus utilizing manually operable levers. More particularly my present invention relates to time release mechanism for use in connection with the levers of interlocking machines employed in railway signaling systems. In interlocking machines of the type referred to, time release mechanism is employed to enforce a timed sequence of operation between the levers. For example, atime release mechanism may be employed in connection with a signal lever-which controls the signals over conflicting routes, "and which is mechanically interlocked with'a switch lever .for setting up the routes, to revent an operator from changing a route after a train has "started to approachunless ther'eis adequate time as measured'by the release mechanism to insure that theproposedchan'ge if effected will not result in adangerous condition.

When a release mechanism is-thus used in .con-

nection'with a signal lever, the operator having once set up a route for an approaching train and having operated the signal lever to clear ,;the sig= nal for the route, may =return the-signal lever to. its normal indication-position and put the signal to stop, but he is prevented from returning the signal lever to the positionin which it releases the locking'ior the switch lever, until after the time release mechanism has operated to energize J an electriclock which is providedon the signal lever. usually been connected .with the lever through cam meansin such manner that afterthe release had been operated to unlock the. lever, the v next movementofthe lever to either extreme sitates mounting the releasefmechanism ina po sition which in some casesjisundesirable ;be

cause of the limited space available. I,

One object of my present invention is to proa vide time release mechanism which will not re- Her'etofore, the release mechanism has quire any mechanical connection with, or the addition of any mechanical device to, the'lever. In accordance with'my present invention, I accomplish the above object by utilizing as'1af 'part of the time release mechanism atimemeasuring device which is electrically controlled toafinitiate the timing period by virtue o'f hontacts provided on the lever, and which returns to its normal con dition, following its timing operationyunder the influence of gravity. This time measuring de ice in its "preferred'forrnjncludes. a stepping magnet and a 'clutchmagnet bothof which must be energized to initiate the timing period. The; stepping magnet iS" supplied. with current, im'-.

pulses from a code transmitter which may be utilized to supply current impulses toa pluralityol?" I similar timing devices. The'time contact. of the, timing device is operated by a planetary, arm

which is biased by gravity toa normal position, I

and which is moved away from this position to-' ward theposition in which it closes thetimecon tact in response to energization'of the stepping magnet when and only when the clutch magnet is simultaneouslyenergized; This time measuring device has no mechanical connection of any kind with the lever, and may desired location remote from the lever.

Other objects and characteristic features of my invention will become apparent as the d tion proceeds. I v l My present invention is an improvement on the time release mechanism described and claimed in the. cop'ending application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No.-344;739,jfi1edby William c. McWhirteron July 10, 1940, for control app aratus.

'The present application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 316,609, filed J anuary31, 1940, forControl apparauts, now Patent No. 2,279,l.1'l dated April'l, 1942. g

I shall describe two'iorms of timerelease mech I anism embodying my invention',;- and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic View showingfltime release mecha-- nism embodying my invention applied to a signal lever. Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. lshowing a modification of the mechanism illustrated in Fig.

1, andalso embodying my; invention. I I

Similarreferencecharacters refer. to si'milar parts in bothviewsl I Referring first to Flg. 1;" the reference 'charac V terjl designates astretch of railwaytrack over which traflic' normally moves in both directions.

The stretch his divided by means of :the usual insulated joints 2 into an approachflsection' 3-4,

' a detector section 45, adetector section 5-45 and an approach section fil', and is connected I track relay designated by the reference character In" the.

R followed by distinguishingsubscripts. interest of simplicity the control .circuits .ior

b located at any these track relays are not shown, but it will be understood that these relays will be energized or deenergized according as the associated section is unoccupied or occupied.

Trafiic entering the detector section -8 from left to right is controlled by a signal I0 illu trated conventionally in the drawing, while traffic entering the detector section 4-5 from right to left is governed by a, similar signal H. signals may be of any suitable type, and the signal ID has associated therewith a contact I2 which is closed only when the associated signal is at stop, while the signal I l likewise has associated therewith a contact I3 which is closed only when this signal is at stop. I

The signals l9 and H are controlled by means of a signal lever I4 which isarranged to be moved between a plurality of positions L, A, B,

N, D, E and R, and which, for convenienceQmay be termed in the order named a left-hand con-'- trol position, a left-hand intermediate position,

a left-hand indication position, amid or, normal position, a. right-hand indication position, a right-hand'interme'diate position and a righthand control position. Associated with the le'-' ciated contact is closed; For example, the con tact adjacent which the letters DE are located is These closed in the D position, the E position or any positon intermediate these two positions, while the contact adjacent which the letters AB are located is closed in the A position, the B position or any position intermediate these two po lever I4 is moved to its R position at which time this signal will be moved to its clear or proceedposition to permit a train approaching section 5-6 from the left to enter this section, and that signal II will be at stopat all times except when lever M is moved to its L position, at which time this latter signal will be moved to its proceed position to permit a train approaching section 4-5 from the right to enter this section.

It will be understood that the lever l4 will be included in an interlocking machine," and will be mechanically interlocked with one or more levers for controlling the switchesSl andfSZ in such manner that the switch lever or leverscann'ot be operated to reverse the switches Sl and except when the signal'lever It occupies its II or normal position in which the signals Hiand' H both occupy their stop positions s Also associated with the lever M is a lever lockcomprising a locking segment 23 secured to the lever and cooperating with a locking dog 24 controlled by a lock magnet 25. The locking segment 23 is provided with two shoulders 23a and 23b, and the parts are so proportioned that when the leverjlljisimoved to'its L or R position, the lockingdog 2d will'dropby gravity behind one or the other of the shoulders 23d and 23b, and will thus act to prevent the lever from being subsequently moved-toward its normal positionpast the intermediate indication position 3 orD unless the magnet 225 is energized, in

' other circuit which is' similar to the second cirin the stretch I.

which event the locking dog 24 will be lifted clear of the shoulders. Electric locks of the type described are in widespread use, and their detail construction is too wellknown to require further discussion.

The magnet25 of the lever lock is provided with a plurality of energizing circuits which are controlled in accordance with traffic conditions One of these circuits passes from terminal X through contact iii of signal ll, contact l2 of signal In, front contact 2'5 of track relay R6--7, contact 22 of lever 54, and the winding" of magnet 25 to terminal 0. This circuitissclosed when and only when section 6--? is unoccupied by a train, both signals ll ii are at stop and contact 22 of lever L is closed,

anditsfunc'tion is to energize magnet 25 to permit the lever to be moved between its R and N positions without interference by the lever lock when'section 6-4 is unoccupied.

The magnet 25 is also provided with as-imilar energizingv circuit which passes from terminal K through contact I3 of signal H, contact 52 of signal I0, wire 21, front contactZii of track. relay R'll, wire 29, contact 2| of lever. l4 and the winding of magnet 25 to terminal 0, and the function of which is to permit the lever Hi to be moved freely between its L and N positions whenever section 3 4 is unoccupied,

The magnet 25 is further provided with another energizing circuit which is similar to the circuit first traced with the exception that this circuit includes bacl -contact of trackrelay R5G instead of frontcontact 26 of relay THE-J.

The function of this latter circuit-is to automatically unlock lever l4 to'permit free movement of the lever from its R to its N position assoon'as a trainapproaching section 5-6 from the left has'passedsignal l0; 7

Magnet: 25 is "still furth'er' 'providedwith ancuit traced above with the exception that this circuit' 'includes back contactiil of'track relay RA -Sinstead of front contact 28 of relay R3-4. vThefuncti'on of this circuitis to unlock lever to permit 'freemovement of the lever from its 'L'toits N position as soona's a train moving from'right to'leftove'r' track I has passed'sig nal H.

j'lfh'eapparatus thus far described is all well knownjand further detailed description of this portion of the apparatus is believed to be unnecessary a In" accordance with my present invention, electrically controlled time measuring means are provided for energizing the magnet. 25 at the expiration 'of a predetermined time interval after the lever is moved away from either its L or its 'R position provided the movement of the lever away from its'L position takes place while a train approaching switch SI is in section 3-4, or the movement of the lever away from its R position takes place when a train approaching switch S2 is in section 6-1.

As here illustrated,lthese means comprise a time element device TE," an indication relay KR, and a code transmitter CT.

The time element device TEis a modification of thetimei element relay described and claimed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,966,965, granted to Branko Lazich and Harry E. Ashworth, on July 17, 1934, for Electrical relays, and comprises a stepping magnet and a clutch magnet; The stepping magnet 35' is adapted 'to be supplied with timed current impulsesfromJ-the code" transmitter CT in a manner which will be made clearpresently, and controls an armature-'39 in such mannerthat when the stepping magnetis energized,fthe armature will be oscillated instep with "the current impulses supplied to thefstepping magnet. The armature 39'actuates a pawrto which cooperates witha ratchet wheel 4!, thepartsbeing so arranged that oscillation of the armature 30 will cause a step by-step rotation of the ratchet wheel in aclockwise direction. 'The ratchet wheel 4!, in turn, is operatively connect; ed with a planetary contact arm Fin suchmanner that when 'a clutch wheel .44 which is also connectedwith the arm is engaged by a clutch: d2, rotation of the ratchetwheel will cause corresponding rotation of the arm, but that, when the clutch '42 is out; of engagement with the clutch wheel, the arm F will return due to the bias of gravity to the position-shown. .The 'arm F .is identical with the arm F shown and describedin the above-mentioned Lazich and Ashworth patent, anda detailed description of this arm is therefore deemed to be unnecessary;

The clutch 42 is arranged, to be moved into engagement with the clutchwwheel. 44 in response to 'energization' of "the clutch magnet. 36 bymeans of an armature 43 which is connected with the clutch. When the magnet 36 is deenergized, the clutch "is moved out of engagement with the clutch wheel *byg'r'avity. It should be noted that when the clutch is engaging the clutch wheel, the arm '1? will beh'eld'in any position to which it is rotated by the stepping mag net.-

The arm F as here shown-operates four'con- The contacts 3'l- 31a and 58-580. are checking contacts for checking 'when'the arm occupies its normal position, and are arranged to be closed by means of anin'sulating strip 46 secured to the arm when and only' when the arm,

occupies its full normal position, and tofopen immediately as soon as the arm starts to move away from this position.

These checking,con-..

' The. indication relay net may be varied-by proper. design of the code transmitter CT. ltfollows, therefore, that the devic'eTE can be madetoclose its time contact. 3t 3ila at-the expiration of any desired time interval after thetwo magnets 35 and 36 both become energized.

ing alever light to indicate to the leverope'rator'when the signals controlled by the lever have responded to the lever movements. This relay, as here shown, is provided with the usual control circuitwhich maybe traced from terminal X through' contact l3 of signal ll, contact l2 of signal HL'contact B9-or 10 of lever I4, and the winding of relay KRto terminal 0. It Willbe I seen, therefore, that when lever l 4 is moved from its N position to eitherfits L or R position to clear signal H or signal Ill, this relay will become energized until the signal has cleared, at which time the relay will-immediately become deenergized. It will also be seen that after the signal H or the signal It has been cleared and the lever I4 is subsequently moved to its indication position B or D to restore the cleared signal to its stop position, as soon as the signal has returned toits stop 'position', the relay KR will become energized, and will subsequently remain energized until thelever is moved to its N or normal pdsiti0n.- 1 1 Associated with the relay KR is the usual indication light. 55 which is arrangedto be energized over a circuit which includes a front contact 56 of relay KR and which is obvious. from an'inspection of the drawing. It'followsthat this light 55 will become lightedwhenever relay tacts are adapted to be included in the control circuits for the signals Ill and II, respectively, in such manner that these signals cannot be cleared unless these contacts are closed;

The Cont ct sis-saws a timecontacuaand is arranged. to be closed at the expiration of the time interval for which the time element de-" vice is set, by engagement of aninsulating piece as secured to the arm F. 1 l The contact 4'l 4'la is provided for thepurpose of; deenergizing the stepping .magnet 35v following completionof the time interval, and is normally closed, but isarrangedtdbecome opened following the closing -i=.of-= the" contact 38-3ta in a manner which will be apparent from an inspection of the drawing.

The time requiredto closethe contact 38-3800 depends upon the arc; through which thear'rn F has to be rotated before the insulating-piece} ator having cleared signal I I to permit a trainto proceed from right to -left past switch Sidecides after the train has entered the approach section 3--4- to change the route and cause the train to enter the branch track 8. To effect this change, the operator will move lever I4 to its B position where its movement will be. arrested by the 10cking d0g-24 engaging shoulder 23a. As. soon asthelever is moved away from its L position, thecircuit for signal II will be interrupted, and this signal will therefore move to its stop position. When thishappens, contact It will become closed andwill complete the circuit for'relay KR'including contact ll! of lever 14,

t5 moves into engagement with -the contact,

finger '38, and the 'frequencyof thecurrent'impulses which are supplied. to the stepping mag-' net 35. The length of the are through. which the arm F has tobe' rotated to close the contact Sit-48a can be adjusted in 'theiinanner de.-'

scribed in the aforementioned Lazi'ch and Ashworth application, while the frequency of the current impulses supplie'dto'the stepping magand relay will therefore become energized and will corn'pleteth'e circuit for signal light'55 to indicate to thelever .ope rator thatsignal H has moved to. its stop position. The picking up of relay KR will also complete a circuit for the stepping magnet 35 and afcircuit for the clutch magnet 35'. The circuitforthe stepping magnet 35 may be traced fromterminal X through con-' tact 52-52a of codet'ransmitter' CT, front contact 51 of relay contact 13 of lever I4,1the winding of magnet 35;and contact 414'la of i I KR is the relay which is" customarily provided in connection with the signal levers of interlocking machines for controll-Q time element device TE to terminal 0, while the circuit forv the clutch magnet 36 may be traced from terminal X through contact II of lever ll, front contact 54 of relay KR and the. winding of magnet 36 to terminal 0. Time element device TE will therefore start to operate, and after the proper time intervalhas expired will close its contact 38,-38a and openits contactlfl-fla. The opening of contact 41'4'la will interrupt the circuit which was previously closed for the stepping magnet 35, but the contact arm F will be held in the position inwhich the contact $835a is closed and the, contact ill-41 is open by the clutch 4,2. The closing of contacts 38l8a, completes a circuit for the magnet 25 of the lever lock passing from terminal X through contact l3 of signal H, contact [2 of signal Ill, contact 10 of lever L, contact 3 838a of time element device TE, and the winding of magnet 25, to terminal 0. Magnet will therefore become energized and will unlock lever M. When this happens, the lever will befree to move to its N position and the, lever operator will therefore move it to this position. This movement of the lever will interrupt the circuit relay KR, and this relay will then become denergized and will extinguish the lever light 553. The movement of the lever M to its N position will also interrupt the circuitfor the clutch magnet 36 at contact H of the lever, so that the magnet will become deenergized and, will permit the arm F to return to its normal position in which it is shown in the drawing. This latter movement will, of course, cause contact 383-8ato open, and will also cause contacts 3lj3la, ii--4Ta and 5858a to become closed, thereby restoring all; parts of the time element device to their normal positions. With thev lever M in its normal position, the switch lever for controlling switch Sl will become unlocked, and the switch SI can then be reversed in the usual manner following which the lever H can be restored to its L position to clear signal I I.

The, operation when it is desired to change a route after lever M has been moved to' its R position to clear signal 16- and a train is approach ing the signal Within section i simila to that just described, and will be apparent from.

without further dethe foregoing description tailed description.

It should be particularly pointed. out that while in the ioregoingjdescription lhave shown the" timing mechanism for only one signal leve controlled hy the code transmitter CT, in actual practice, the same code transmitter may be used to control all of the timing mechanisms for all of the signals in an interlockingplant.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2, the clutch magnet 38 is provided with a contact 75 which becomes closed whenever magnet 36 becomes energized, and'this contact i included in the energizing circuit for the stepping magnet in place of the contact 51 of. relay'KR and the contacts 13 and M of lever 14, in Fig. 1,

thereby eliminating the necessity for the con:

to become closed and complete the circuit for the stepping magnet ,35,'thereby initiating the operation of thetiming device 'I'J. From this point on, the operation of the timing mechanism ing mechanism and th lever, and does not therefore impose any loadon thelever.

Although Ihave herein shown and described only two forms of timing mechanismembodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may 'be'made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. P 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1.In control apparatus, the combination with a railway signal, a manually operable lever for controlling'said signal movable from a normal position to a control-position past an indication position, and an electric lock efioctive when deenergized for preventing movement of said lever from its control position toward its normal position past its indication position; of an indication relay controlled by said signal and said lever and energized when the lever occupies its indication position providedthe signal then occupies, its stop position, a'time element device adapted to be operated by successive energize,-

tions, means for successively energizing said time element device when said indication relay becomes energized and .fOr deenergizing it at the expiration of a predetermined time interval, and means con trolled by said timeelement device for energizing said electric lock at the expiration of said predeterminedtime'interval.

2. In control apparatus, the combination of a manually operable lever movable from a normal position to a control position past anindication position, a time element device including astepping magnet adapted to be supplied with current impulses and a clutch magnet and a contactarm biased by gravity to a normal position and movable from said. normal position toward an operated position at a predetermined rate when said two magnets are both energized, a checking contact controlled by said arm and closed only when said arm occupies its normal position, a signal, a circuit for controlling said signal and including said checking contact, meansfor energizing said two magnets when said lever is moved to its indication position if said signal then occupies its stop. position, and means for attimes preventing movement of said lever from its control. position past its indication position except when said arm is moved to its operated position.

3. In, controlapparatus, the combination with a signal, a manually operable lever movable from a normal position to a control position past an indication position for controlling said signal, and .an electric lock effective when deenergized for preventing movement of said lever from its control position toward its normal position past its indication position, of a time element device including a-stepping magnet adapted to be supplied withicurrent impulses and a clutch magnet and also including a contact arm biased by gravity to a normal position and movable from said normal position toward an operated position at a predetermined rate when said two magnets are both energized, an indication relay,

means for energizing said indication relay when said lever occupies its indication position and said signal is indicating stop, a circuit for said clutch magnet including a front contact of said indication relay and a contact of said lever closed in the indication position of the lever, a contact which becomes closed when said clutch ma-g-' position, and an electric lock effective when deenergized for preventing movement of said 1ever from its control position toward its normal position past its indication position, of a time element device including a stepping magnet adapted to be supplied with current impulses and a clutch magnet and also including a contact arm biased by gravity to a normal position and movable from said normal position toward an oper ated position at a predetermined rate when said two magnets are both energized, an indication relay, means for energizing said indication relay when said lever occupies its indication position and said signal indicating stop, a circuit for said clutch magnet including a front contact of said indication relay and a contact of said lever closed in the indication position of the lever; a circuit for said stepping magnet including a source of current impulses, a contact of said 1ever closed in the indication position of the lever, and a normally closed contact of said time element device which becomes operated when said arm is moved to its operated position; and means for energizing said lock when said arm is moved to its operated position.

ARTHUR W. FISHER. 

